ABSTRACT

Alternatively, donors m ay have the ir b lood anticoagulated and draw n in to spe­ cial m achines, called apheresis m achines. In this procedure, platelets are separated by centrifugation , and the red cells re tu rn ed to the b lood d o n o r together w ith m ost o f the plasm a. This procedure takes 50-90 m inutes. The correct nam e for this p ro d u c t is platelet pheresis, b u t is m ore com m only know n as single d o n o r platelets o r apheresis platelets. Platelet pheresis, o r single d o n o r platelets, have a h igher con ten t o f platelets (absolute num ber, yield o r potency) th an are presen t in a u n it o f platelets (ran d o m d o n o r platelets) derived from a w hole b lood donation . Approxim ately 5-8 ran d o m d o n o r units o f platelets are equivalent to one apheresis p roduct. The characteristics o f platelet p roducts are show n in Table 28.1.